


Pass It On

by Jeageractive



Series: Child Eren collection [4]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon verse, Character Death, Gen, this was literally my first idea when I watched aot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-31
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-11 00:09:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2045454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeageractive/pseuds/Jeageractive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi hadn't really expected to see a child he saved nearly eleven years ago once again, but he wasn't sure what was more pressing, the fact that he remembered somehow, or that the now fifteen year old kid still had his puppy eyes, borrowed cloak and autograph intact.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Levi was most certainly at his mid life crisis. Well, not exactly, but something along the lines of that. 

 _Coincidence?_ His mind reasoned, eyes flicking upwards again, but his reasoning was weak.

 _I think not._ A contemplative and barely recognizable smile tugged at his lips as he blinked down at the printed name he was presented with.

_Eren Jaeger._

-11 years ago-

It wasn't that Levi lacked experience or skill, but the problem lied in the different course of strategy they were assigned when the wall was breached; instead of offense, their first priority was to defend the civilians. The military were doing _that_ shitty of a job, and Levi had the mind to find Nile and rub it in his face if his hands weren't so full.

There was an explosion nearby, and a very close one. It must have been one of the abnormals.

"Get out of the way!" Levi's voice was near hoarse from all the directory screaming he had to do, because people just didn't fucking listen and went rooted when they saw a titan, making his job all the more harder. There was such a shortage that an entire neighborhood was only his and Hanji's to defend.

Two more to go-and he had to go sort out the issue with the abnormal before it got worse. Quickly, he sliced down the remaining beasts and made his way to the direction of the noise, to his relief finding the area clear of civilians. He prepared his blades, leaned at the edge of the railing and stopped. Was that a...? Yes, it was a fucking child that didn't have the brains to move before he got splattered all over the concrete. The abnormal sprinted, crashed into nearing buildings blindly, and Levi knew he couldn't kill it without crushing the child.

He grappled, then swung. The titan was too close. Way too close.

Whether he'd reach him first or not all relied on the momentum of his swing. Strong. Strong enough? He wasn't sure.

The abnormal was kicking back, quick and spontaneous-exceptionally dangerous, Levi mused as he narrowed his eyes in focus."The fuck, child." He murmured in exasperation, wishing he'd at least run back a little.

Levi could practically feel the force of the blow that was to come as he hauled the child into his hold, in some mind blowing way making it back to the standing building in one piece. He dropped the child and practically had to push him down to keep him still."Sit and don't move, alright?"

There was a small gasp that grasped his attention, and he did a double take in his distraction before staring down to see what that was about. The brat looked like he'd just seen heaven in itself and was now staring at him all googly-eyed.

"Cowpoal Levi! Woah, can I help you kill that titan?"

Levi blinked down at him twice, a little at a loss of words."Yes. Yes you can. By sitting still for a second."

He had a second to see the kid pout before diving down again, grumbling about his headache from all the smashing it was doing. For a moment, it went still, and Levi took this as his chance, swinging in for the kill. At the last moment, it abruptly jerked his head around.

Levi cursed and aimed for it's eyes instead, successfully cutting up the flesh in two and rendering it senseless for a second. He then moved on to it's nape and after getting rid of it returned to the top of the building, knowing the child wouldn't be able to save his ass or climb down in such a state.

"Wow, you suwe can kick some titan butts! Can you teach me?" The kid was practically dying with excitement.

"I'm afraid not. We'll have to get you somewhere safe, just hold on tight."

"Aw." He visibly deflated."Can I at least get a signature?" Levi couldn't help but notice how he swallowed all his R's.

He sighed, because now really wasn't the time for this, but the kid had already pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil from his pocket. Levi put a knee to the ground and scribbled it down in his chicken scratch handwriting. 

"What do you wanna be when you grow up?" He asked idly, although sort of expecting the answer.

"Corpowal Levi!" 

Levi paused at this, lips tugging back in a tired smile."Not sure if you could do that. I'm me, and you're you."

"Well can I be super titan killing Corpowal Eren Jaegew instead?"

"Sure you could." Levi added a 'to' and his long wannabe list."Once you join the survey Corps." He hoisted the brat up with one arm.

"Wow, really?"

"Yes, now hold on tight, okay? If you let go you'll be titan brunch."

"Yes, sir!" 

Levi winced when it was practically screamed in his ear. He set the kid down in a hideout where he'd probably have someone guide him home later, throwing his cloak around Eren's shoulders as an afterthought when he noticed the dank and cold air of the basement.

 -

"Eren Jaeger?" Levi called after a few more seconds, eyes flitting around the trainees for affect.

"Sir!" He saluted, tense and upright and angry looking. Levi nearly smiled at the funny way he matched his mini self, an expected but not necessarily an ununique outcome. He took a few steps towards the kid, expression leveled.

Eren wasn't looking directly at him, but the way his eyes practically tripled in size said enough. Levi was too amused.

"What on earth could you have been doing with your cloak in one night to make it look so worn?"

"It is. Worn, I mean, sir." His voice was a bit lower and gruffer than what would be assumed of his age, but again, quite matching. He could've sworn he heard a murmur of,"By you."

"Still want to be the great titan killing Corporal Eren Jaeger?"

Eren's eyes widened again, and he tensed even more, but then he blinked downwards and heat instantly reached his face.

He quickly pulled something out of his pocket and held it awkwardly for Levi to see, Levi realizing it was the crumbled paper with his autograph.

"I expect you to keep your word."


	2. Chapter 2

Sometimes, it's easy to perceive the future because everything was going awry and wrong, there were bad omens everywhere.

"We're all gonna die." _Hanji_ was enough of a bad omen. When she wasn't going gung-ho about titans or Eren, then at least she'd be satisfied with being optimistic even inside a titan's mouth or enthusiastically blowing up things to keep her busy. She was practically turning herself into pointless titan bait, knees hitting the ground in an open clearing and hands loosening around her blades.

Levi angrily grabbed her by the hood and tossed her back into shelter."The actual bloody fucking hell," He hauled her from the front this time."Is _wrong_ with you?"

He half expected a response like, 'I'm bored' or 'trying to create some action' but she didn't say anything. Absolutely nothing. 

They got separated from their legion long before they neared the gates after Eren suddenly disappeared. The rest of the group couldn't hold back or keep the gates open. It was an enormous risk that they weren't taking just to save three soldiers. Two capable soldiers, and one _still_ lost mad shifter.

"We'll find him in no time. Even if he isn't still in transformation. Then we'll head back." That was the most comfort someone like Levi could produce."Until then, I need you to pull it together and stay alive, you hear? It's not your choice."

Just then, a very much human scream resonated round the clearing in a dull echo, far but intense, and notably _angry_. Levi looked up with a hand shielding his eyes from the glaring sun and tried to focus on the direction the flock of frightened birds bolted from.

"He's far, somewhere south. Come on." Swiftly, he mounted his horse in one motion and eyed Hanji sharply."Did I fucking stutter?"

She pushed herself up and led her horse closer with a utter piss off tediousness, expression drab and unreadable.

"What is this all about?"

"It's all my fault!" She exploded all at once, Levi's eyes widening a fraction."If only I'd listened and not riled him up, the stupid fuck. Then we wouldn't be-"

Her attitude suddenly made sense. "Either way, he would've went berserk. It's obvious, he was too angry to think. It's no one's fault." Levi wasn't in the mood to deal with this."It's not like you to find reason to cast blame like this. We'll make it back together, don't worry."

"But what if we don't?"

" _Hanji_." Levi was done with this bullshit. He shot her one last glare before whipping the reins in his grip angrily.

-

He winced because of the sharp echo pounding in his head, frustrated because he wanted it to stop but it didn't and just rambled on frantically. 

He was going to snap his eyes open and give whoever was giving him this headache a piece of his mind, only to have a dull hiss of pain escape his lips instead.

"He's awake, awake!" The voice screamed.

_Shut the fuck up._

"Do something! Come on!" It echoed, and echoed, and Levi's grimace intensified. _Why do I hurt so much?_

"Fuck, fuck, _fuck_. Fuck."

"It's okay." That was a different voice.

"It's not!" _Dammit Eren, will you just put a fucking shoe in it already._ Something pushed against his chest suddenly, and he could've sworn that was the sound of his bones breaking.

"Don't _do_ that!" That was...Hanji. She was starting to scream loud as fuck, too.

"Oh god. Oh god. Levi heichou."

Wetness hit his cheek in small drops, and Levi was sick of feeling so disoriented. He forced his eyelids open.

"Eren..." His voice barely rose above a whisper, and the look of devastated horror on the said boy's face didn't help much either."...stop screaming. Giving me a bitch of a headache."

He screwed his eyes shut instead and bared his teeth, and suddenly it was raining more intensely on Levi's cheek and he would've sighed if he was capable."Don't..."He wheezed."Do that either. Gross."

Suddenly he remembered, even if for a split second. The snap of his maneuver gear, the crushing pressure on his body and he couldn't breathe, _fuck he couldn't breathe_ -

"You be great, okay?" He murmured, shutting his eyes softly because it was much easier that way."Don't want...people to think I taught you nothing."

Eren didn't listen to him, because he sobbed more, brushed his bangs back and let his hand stay there, held on painfully tight to his hand."You'd better live up to my name. Even better...Corporal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooh 1am feels~ I'm probably gonna wake up tomorrow and be like what the shit was I doing yesterday.


End file.
